by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
There is no chance, no destiny, no fate.
Can circumvent or hinder or control
The firm resolve of a determined soul.
Gifts count for nothing: will alone is great;
All things give way before it, soon or late.
What obstacle can stay the mighty force
Of the sea-seeking river in its course,
Goethe said that we could choose "a harvest of thorns or of flowers" in our lives.
What might Wilcox say we needed to do if we wanted to harvest flowers rather than thorns?
1. be aware of the part luck plays in life
2. keep rivers from seeking their courses
3. make death stand still
4. have firm resolve and determination